


White Rabbits

by CurufinweAtarinke



Series: Tumblr Prompts [5]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Bunnies, Family, Fluff, Gen, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 03:15:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17337557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CurufinweAtarinke/pseuds/CurufinweAtarinke
Summary: Caranthir shows the twins his rabbits.





	White Rabbits

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nixie_Genesis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nixie_Genesis/gifts).



> Done for a request - Moryo + bunnies

Carnistir has owned rabbits since he was a child. He first remembers his father taking him to the pen in the garden to see them, lifting the rabbits carefully out to snuffle at Carnistir’s little feet, and gently showing Carnistir how to pet their soft fur.

His paternal grandmother had kept them originally, Carnistir knows. She had received a pair as a gift from a Noldo who had been breeding them for their soft, warm wool. They were not particularly large at this point, but enough wool could be harvested for a soft pair of gloves, or a hat, and Míriel apparently adored the rabbits’ docile nature and loved using their fur on the occasions she put down her stitching to knit or crochet.

After her death, Carnistir’s father took over care of the rabbits, and kept at least a pair of them constantly. Father showed Carnistir how to clip them properly to harvest their fur, and then showed him how to spin and knit with the wool it produced. Soon, Carnistir outpaced him - for it was never his father’s passion - and was crafting and creating beautiful things with complex patterns from the soft rabbits.

Then, he ran into a problem. He found the rabbit wool to be much nicer to use than any conventional sheep’s wool, but the small bunnies his grandmother had so loved did not produce enough for his needs.

So, with his father’s blessing and Tyelkormo’s help, he began to breed the rabbits to be larger. He bred them for their coat, for their size, and for their calm nature. Tyelkormo was a great aid in this, as he was able to help pick the rabbits with a sweeter nature. Carnistir loves animals, but often they are not especially fond of him, so Tyelkormo was very helpful.

Which leads to his current rabbit breed, which are enormously fluffy.

“Don’t be scared,” says Carnistir, both hands grasped by a small redhaired twin on each side. “They’re just bunnies, they won’t hurt you.”

“I’m not scared!” insists Pityo. “I want to see the bunnies!”

Telvo presses closer to Carnistir’s side. Pityo tends to be the bolder one, while Telvo can be rather shy. Carnistir gives his hand a comforting squeeze, and is gratified when Telvo smiles up at him.

“These new bunnies were born about two months ago,” says Carnistir. “So, they’re ready to be socialised and get some experiences outside their nest, which is why I’ve enlisted you two.”

They approach the pen that Carnistir has expanded over time. There is a large indoor area full of straw for the rabbits to chew, but Carnistir lets them out every day to hop on the grass for a while.

He unhooks the gate and allows several enormous rabbits to exit, before venturing inside to collect the smaller bunnies.

Their mother is already gone, having weaned them a few weeks ago, and the kits sit in their nest still, lined with their mother’s soft fur. Three does and one buck, not the largest litter Carnistir has seen, but still decently sized. He picks two up carefully, but they are used to him and do not panic, and places them on the grass outside where the twins have seated themselves before heading back in to retrieve the other pair.

When he returns, the twins are gently petting a rabbit each.

“It’s so soft, Moryo!” exclaims Pityo, startling the rabbit in his arms slightly, before stroking it soothingly in apology.

“What are their names?” asks Telvo.

“I don’t have any names for them yet,” replies Carnistir, carefully setting down the other two bunnies. “Why don’t you think about it and come back to me?” The twins both nod enthusiastically.

They sit together on the grass for a while, gently petting the soft bunnies while the adult rabbits wander past like ambulatory clouds. Carnistir spots one buck and can’t help tutting.

“Look at you!” he says, rising to grasp the rabbit firmly and carry it back over. “You’re shedding early this season, you almost caught me by surprise!”

It would be a tragedy for the rabbit to shed naturally and for that gorgeous fur to get matted, so Carnistir decides to take the opportunity to show the twins how to pluck him.

“Doesn’t it hurt him?” Telvo asks worriedly, and Pityo’s face is an identical expression of concern.

“No, don’t worry,” says Carnistir. “All this fur is making him hot and itchy, so plucking it off will make him feel really good.” In his lap, the rabbit is snuggling down as if to prove his point. Carnistir is happy to see the bunnies have become much more comfortable with the twins over the time spent with them, and have now crawled into their laps to eat the fresh vegetables they had brought as treats.

Carnistir carefully plucks the tufts of fur, pleased with the large harvest from this rabbit. The fur is white, darkening at the ends closest to the skin, and comes off easily in manageable clumps. He loves the peace and calm that his rabbits bring him.

“What are you going to make from it?” asks Pityo, carefully holding a palmful of greens out for several bunnies to nibble on. A lot of the larger adults have migrated over too to be given treats and pets, and they are now surrounded by fluff.

“Hmmm,” replies Carnistir. “I don’t know yet!”

“I’m sure it’ll be nice anyway,” says Telvo loyally, and Carnistir grins at him.

“Thanks Telvo,” he says. “Now, I’ll show you how to brush them, they need it doing every day so it would really help to have two little helpers! Who wants to try first?”

Two shouts of “Me!” meet his words, and Carnistir smiles as he stands to put the pile of fur in a safe place and collect some brushes. It’s something close to a perfect day.

**Author's Note:**

> Don’t look at me for accurate angora care - never owned a bunny so this is based on what I found on the internet.


End file.
